ND, Minn. told record Red River flooding possible

FARGO, N.D. - Residents in the Fargo, N.D., area are being told to prepare for record flooding along the Red River.

A forecast issued Wednesday by the National Weather Service shows a 40 percent chance that the river will top the 2009 record of just under 41 feet. That's up from a 15 percent chance last month.

Flood stage, or when the river first tops its banks, is 18 feet. Fargo and neighboring Moorhead, Minn., are mostly protected to 38 feet. Beyond that, it requires sandbagging for more than 200 homes in the two cities.

Fargo City Administrator Pat Zavoral says he's confident the area will be protected. He says a forecast closer to 44 feet would have made things "a little dicey."